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Cookie Policy
This policy explains how Website Servers Ltd uses cookies and similar technologies on our website, why we use them, and the control you have over them. We keep our use of cookies to a minimum and we never use them to build advertising profiles of you.
- Last updated
- 29 May 2026
- Effective date
- 29 May 2026
- Version
- 3.0
Introduction
Like most websites, ours uses cookies to work properly and to help us understand how it is being used. This policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy, which explains how we handle personal data more broadly.
What are cookies and similar technologies
A cookie is a small text file that a website places on your device when you visit. It lets the site recognise your device on later visits, remember your preferences and keep you signed in. Similar technologies, such as pixels and local storage, do comparable jobs, and where we refer to cookies in this policy we mean all of them.
- Session cookies
- Temporary cookies that are deleted when you close your browser.
- Persistent cookies
- Cookies that remain on your device until they expire or you delete them.
- First party cookies
- Cookies set by our own website.
- Third party cookies
- Cookies set by another organisation whose content appears on our pages, such as an embedded video.
The legal basis for cookies
Our use of cookies follows the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (opens in a new tab), read alongside the UK GDPR (opens in a new tab). Under these rules we may set cookies that are strictly necessary for the service you have asked for without your consent. For all other cookies, we ask for your consent before they are set, and you can withdraw it at any time.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) (opens in a new tab) provides detailed guidance on cookies, and we have designed our approach to align with it.
The categories of cookie we use
Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are essential for the website and control panels to function. They support signing in, keeping your session secure, balancing load across our servers and remembering your cookie choices. Because the service cannot run without them, they cannot be switched off through our preferences tool.
Performance and analytics cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors use the site in aggregate, for example which pages are most popular and where people encounter problems. We use this information to improve the site. They are only set with your consent, and the data is reported in a form that does not identify you.
Functionality cookies
These cookies remember choices you make, such as your region or display preferences, so that we can offer a more personal experience. Without them, some features may be less convenient to use.
The cookies we set
The table below lists the main cookies we use. The exact names may vary slightly as we update the platform, but the purpose and category remain as described.
| Name | Category | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ws_session | Strictly necessary | Keeps you signed in and secures your session | Session |
| ws_csrf | Strictly necessary | Protects forms against cross site request forgery | Session |
| ws_consent | Strictly necessary | Remembers your cookie preferences | Twelve months |
| ws_lb | Strictly necessary | Balances traffic across our servers | Session |
| _analytics_id | Performance | Measures site usage in aggregate | Up to thirteen months |
| ws_prefs | Functionality | Remembers display and region preferences | Six months |
Third party cookies
Some pages include content from other organisations, such as embedded video players or maps. When that content loads, the third party may set its own cookies, which are governed by that organisation's own policy. We only load such content where it is necessary, and where consent is required we ask for it first.
How long cookies last
Session cookies expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies last for the period shown in the table above, after which they expire automatically. You can delete any cookie sooner using your browser, as described below.
Managing your preferences
When you first visit our website you are asked to accept or reject non essential cookies. You can change your choice at any time by reopening the cookie preferences panel from the link in the footer of any page. Rejecting non essential cookies will not stop you using the site, although some features may be less personalised.
Managing cookies in your browser
You can also control and delete cookies through your browser settings. The links below explain how for the most common browsers.
- Google Chrome (opens in a new tab)
- Mozilla Firefox (opens in a new tab)
- Apple Safari (opens in a new tab)
- Microsoft Edge (opens in a new tab)
Please note that if you block all cookies, including those that are strictly necessary, parts of our website and control panels may not work as intended.
Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
Some browsers offer a Do Not Track signal or a Global Privacy Control setting. Because there is no settled industry standard for Do Not Track, we treat it as a general preference rather than a binding instruction, while we continue to respect the cookie choices you make through our preferences panel.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as our website and the technologies we use evolve. When we do, we will update the date at the top of the page and, where the change is significant, ask for your consent again.
Contact us
If you have any question about our use of cookies, please contact our Data Protection Officer, Carl Hodges, at dpo@websitesservers.co.uk or on +44 7815 721375.